This invention relates generally to safety equipment for use in automotive vehicles and the like. More particularly, this invention relates to a relatively simple and inexpensive yet effective passenger restraint system for protecting passengers of an automotive vehicle from injury during a collision.
Attempts to protect passengers of automotive vehicles and the like against serious injury during a collision have resulted in the design of numerous devices and systems ranging from improvements in vehicular structures to collision-activated equipment, such as air bags. More specifically, by way of example, modern automotive vehicles generally include a minimum number of protrusions within a passenger compartment, together with a high degree of padding at appropriate locations, such as the dashboard. Modern vehicles further include additional safety devices, such as so-called safety glass, collapsible steering columns, and the like to further protect passengers against injuries.
Perhaps the most important and effective type of safety equipment for protecting vehicle passengers during collisions comprises restraining devices for restraining passengers within their seats to avoid secondary collisions between the passengers and interior portions of the vehicle and to prevent the passengers from being thrown from the vehicle. In this regard, lap and shoulder seat belts are generally provided as standard equipment with most modern automotive vehicles and have proven highly effective in protecting passengers against injuries. The major disadvantage of such seat belts, however, is that they normally require active passenger participation to buckle or otherwise fasten the belts prior to a collision. Unfortunately, the reluctance of many persons to take the relatively simple step of fastening a seat belt results in many otherwise avoidable collision injuries.
Passive restraining devices have also been developed which do not require active passenger participation for activation. For example, combination lap and shoulder seat belts have been designed for activation appropriately by opening and closing of vehicle doors, or by electrical devices coupled to the vehicle ignition system or by other automated means. However, automatic seat belts of this type are generally considered somewhat cumbersome and unsightly and thus have not gained any significant comsumer acceptance.
More complicated and costly passive restraint systems have been developed, such as those including normally deflated air bags hidden within the steering wheel or dashboard of a vehicle and adapted for rapid inflation in response to a collision, thereby providing a cushioned barrier restraining front seat passengers within their seats. Once activated, however, these protective air bags generally must be replaced. Unfortunately, the original installation and replacement of such air bags can be relatively costly, whereby protective air bags generally are not preferred by many consumers and are presently unavailable in most vehicles. Moreover, on vehicles currently providing protective air bag equipment, the air bags are generally used only to protect the driver and/or other front seat passengers without providing any protection for passengers within rear seats of the vehicle.
Accordingly, there exists a significant need for a relatively inexpensive and reliable passive passenger restraint system designed for effectively protecting both front and rear seat passengers of an automotive vehicle and further which can be quickly and easily reset for reuse. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages.